Fearless HR: The Path From a Seat at the Table to Being a Business Leader

David C. Forman's Bold New Book Provides a Clear Path for HR Success

SAN DIEGO, CA--(Marketwired - Nov 12, 2015) - HR's purpose is to drive business results. It is that simple, and yet that difficult. For years, part of HR's struggles has been the ambiguity over its roles and responsibilities. A clear, articulated purpose contributes to sharper focus, better alignment and improved execution. This is the central theme of a major new book titled Fearless HR by industry expert David C. Forman.

Forman believes that before HR can fulfill this mission and purpose, it must confront its uneven past. In Part One, five different historical perceptions of HR -- such as Human Resources is an overhead function that adds no value to the business -- are examined in terms of the latest research and evidence. Part Two presents the way forward by: defining new HR capabilities; recognizing the value of strengthening professional networks; using HR Levers to foster alignment, reduce cost and improve productivity; and acting with boldness and conviction.

Fearless HR is a business book for HR as it synthesizes a vast amount of research and business-related evidence, and yet is also eminently practical as it includes over 45 actionable tools to speed implementation.

In writing the foreword, Dave Ulrich said, "David has a knack for recognizing key themes, explaining them clearly, then offering evidence to rebut, and tools to replace traditional reputational challenges faced by HR. His work offers HR professionals a positive pathway forward, based on evidence and practical tools."

Forman believes that this is a great time to be an HR professional. He said, "HR is the only function that touches every person in the organization, and it has the opportunity to architect workplaces in which talent and innovation can flourish. Research indicates that 20% of an organization's success can be attributed to HR professionals... that is a powerful and exciting responsibility going forward."

Forman is the President of Sage Learning Systems and the former Chief Learning Officer of Human Capital Institute (HCI). He has worked on major projects with SHRM and HRN in Europe. Forman previously spent 25 years in the training industry working with Apple, IBM, Ford, FedEx, DuPont, Deloitte, Prudential and American Express. He has authored more than 40 articles on a wide variety of subjects ranging from human capital analytics, talent management, high-performance cultures, strategic human resources and leadership.